Napier inauguration event marks the arrival of Will Whitehorn
Will Whitehorn has formally taken over from Dr David Eustace as Chancellor of Edinburgh Napier University.
The Edinburgh-born President of industry group UKspace takes on a role which will see him confer degrees at graduations and other awards of the University, and act as figurehead at external ceremonies and official functions.
The official handover to Will, who will serve for five years, took place at a small ceremony at the University’s Sighthill campus followed by an evening function.
A former executive at the Virgin Group, his business interests include travel, technology and communication as well as leadership, marketing and product design.
He worked on a series of major Virgin projects, including the Pendolino train, and later took up the post of President at Virgin Galactic, which saw him play a central role in developing the concept of commercial space travel.
On being appointed to the role, Will Whitehorn said: “I am deeply honoured to have been chosen as the new Chancellor of this great University in the city I was born and raised in.”
He added: “University should be an adventure and Edinburgh Napier does a better job of fulfilling that dream for students than many educational institutions around the country can even dream of, and I feel privileged to have the opportunity to play my small part in taking the achievements of the University to new heights.”
Outgoing Chancellor Dr Eustace, an award-winning photographer who graduated with distinction from the University’s BA Photography, Film and Television programme in 1991, was appointed to the role in 2015.
Among the initiatives he introduced was the Chancellor Talk series, launched in 2016 with the aim of giving students, staff and the wider community access to high-profile people whose talent and drive had made a real difference to our world.
Dr Eustace said: “Being Chancellor was a wonderful learning process which has helped me develop. There are many things I’ll miss, especially the graduation ceremonies, but it was time for a new Chancellor and new ideas.
“Nothing stands still and it shouldn’t. The joy of education is that there is no finishing line.”
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